HEALTHY, WHOLESOME AND NUTRITIOUS DIET APPROACH FOR 2016

Its one of the biggest resolution people make each year – slimming down

For a diet to receive top rating, the plan has to be nutritious, safe and effective for weight loss and preventing diabetes and hypertension.

In fact, several other top-ranked diet focuses on changing every day’s eating habits rather following a prescribed diet.

According to me, one of the best diet should be DASH known as DIETARY APPROACH TO STOP HYPERTENSION. This plan is originally designed to help control high blood pressure, focus on a healthy pattern of eating which includes lots of vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins while limiting or removing those we are grown to love like calories and fat laden sweets and red meat.

2016 is the year to go with your gut. To see headlines about eating food that protects, boosts and supports your gut. Probiotics, the friendly bacteria lives in our gut, eat a friendly diet by focusing on foods high in probiotics.

100% whole grains (other complex carbohydrates) are still having their moment. Grains like kamut, bulgur, buckwheat, quinoa, millet, amaranth and sorghum are all beneficial for health (these are full of B – vitamins and higher in fiber then refined grains or fiber.

Biodynamic! Its one of the most environmentally – friendly form of farming. Crops are free of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers and the farms are entirely self sustaining.

After DASH the second best diet would be TLC diet (Therapeutic lifestyle change) Start by choosing your target calorie level by consulting through a dietitian or a doctor. If concern is lowering LDL, the goal is 2500 per day for men and 1800 for women. Then cut saturated fat to less than 7 % of daily calories, which means eating less high – fat dairy like butter and ditching fatty meats like salami. And consume no more than dietary cholesterol a day – the amount is about 2 ounce of cheese. If after six weeks your cholesterol has not dropped by about 8 to 10 percent then add in 10 to 15 grams of soluble fiber each day. (Soluble fiber helps block the absorption of cholesterol from the digestive tract, which in turn helps lower LDL). Stanols and sterols are found in vegetable oils and certain types of margarine too. On TLC you should be eating lots for fruits, nuts, vegetables, whole grains, low fat and non fat dairy products.

Eating out: Allowed, but one has to decipher, which menu choices are the lowest in saturated fat and cholesterol. Smartest are steamed, broiled, baked, roasted or poached. Don’t be afraid to make special request for example swap fries for a salad and get the dressing on the side.

I would also like to emphasis on importance of satiety, the satisfied feeling that you have had enough. Hunger is never a problem with TLC diet, you would be eating a lot of fiber packed fruits and veggies, which quell hunger.

I feel the first thing in the morning should be, is to eat fruits. This is a time when you are empty stomach and maximum amount of nutrients will be absorbed from fruits. I would recommend 2-3 slices of papaya as it has a lot of soluble fiber and medicinal properties or 1 amla, which is also called as Indian gooseberry. One can also add few almonds or walnuts at this time.

Seeds are nutritional powerhouse. But what is important is which one delivers the health benefits. I would suggest flax seeds, hemp seeds and chia seeds to be included in the diet menu for 2016. One should add 2 tea spoon on alternate days. One unique characteristic of hemp seeds is that it contains all essential amino acids. Women should consume 25 grams a day of chia seeds. Just by adding 2 tsp to oatmeal or smoothie will double the fiber intake. Flax seed meal is more beneficial then whole flax seeds. For a mid day meal, grab one fruit either apple, orange, guava or may be a green salad with green tea or lemon water.

I would even like to share that our body mechanism is such that we need food to improve the metabolism of our body. When we eat, our metabolism increases and the calories are burned. Starving sends wrong messages to our body. Another way to keep your metabolism high is by dividing three big meals into six small meals. Try to finish the last meal by 7:30 pm

An example of a perfect diet

Start your day by 7:00 am in the morning with almonds and walnuts

9:00 am should be skim milk with 2 tbsp of cereal and 1 tsp of grinded flax seeds or 2 egg whites with 1 slice of multi grain bread with 1 glass of skim milk.

11:30 am as mid day meal should be green salad made in olive oil with black pepper or a any fruit except banana, mango.